The United States adopted bimetallism in 1792 and continued it with more or less success until 1873 when the free coinage of silver was given up; after a few years (1876) a limited coinage on government account with high seigniorage was adopted. In 1900 a system of gold monometallism was undertaken, but the old undervalued coins were left in circulation. A country thus having the concurrent use of two metals, one full legal tender and freely coined, the other full legal tender but not freely coined, is said to have a "limping standard."